Believe it or not, I had never seen BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK before discovering it this past Saturday on Reel 13. I had seen several other John Sturges films and even suggested in the blog for THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1/26/08) that he was primarily an action director, but seemed to struggle when it came to character development (this is a label that followed Spielberg around for many years as well, until he made the likes of SCHINDLER'S LIST and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN). BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK, however, can be called nothing short of a masterpiece. It is nearly perfect on every level – from cinematography to direction to performance to editing to story. I absolutely loved experiencing this film.
Sturges and co. don't waste any time – there is a sense of urgency right away, driven by Andre Previn's score that follows a speeding train toward a completely desolate area in the middle of Arizona. One of the first comments uttered in the film is Spencer Tracy telling the train conductor that he will only be in Black Rock for 24 hours. From that point on, the clock is ticking and the tension doesn't let up for the entire 100 minutes that the film rolls. I can't remember a film that was so consistently interesting GONE BABY GONE came pretty close.
The question then becomes what is different about BLACK ROCK in comparison to Sturges' other work that makes it so compelling. Well, for starters, he is working with great source material. The script, written by Millard Kaufman as based on a story by Howard Breslin, is air-tight. Its mystery isn't overly complex. The magic is all in how it is unraveled – suspensefully without ever seeming contrived or forced. Secondly, Spencer Tracy – not known for doing action movies or westerns – is outstanding as the stoic John Macreedy. His able and proven screen presence is powerful enough to give Sturges the kind of anchor he needs to rest his narrative upon. The story doesn't provide much back story for his character, but it isn't necessary because Tracy manages to make you feel the character's history, all without the use of his left arm (the character had a war injury).
As far as Sturges himself goes, BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK is the most beautiful of his films. Each frame is carefully composed and lit – so many stills within the film could be paintings hanging in the Met. The production design is detailed and is in complete concert with both the story and the lighting scheme. Additionally, Sturges wisely avoids too many close-ups, not that I wholly advocate letting all the action play out in masters, but the atmosphere of the town and the characters' surroundings play such a pivotal role in creating the sense of desolation, desperation and tension. Close-ups would have interrupted and interfered with those goals.
In short, BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK is one of the smartest, most complete films I've seen in a long time. It is one of two real "discoveries" I've made (RAGE IN PLACID LAKE is the other) during this Reel 13 process and stands as an example of what this series should be putting forth and representing.